8BitDo Controller and Genesis bluetooth adaptor hack for the ST
Posted: 25 Apr 2021 17:21
Today's hack has been going round my mind for quite a while since I got hold of a free 8BitDo controller around 2 years ago. I know they have been doing bluetooth dongles for most of the major consoles like the Nintendo and Sega and I have been thinking it would be good to have a dongle for the Atari ST to use my 8BitDo. The other day realising that the Sega Genesis controller uses the DB9 connector and that the 8BitDo Genesis dongle was available I thought I would take the plunge and get the dongle knowing it would probably need some hacking.
Well there wasn't much to it. First to power the dongle the Genesis puts VCC (+5V) out on PIN 5 where as the ST puts VCC out on PIN 7. Thus the hack had to be around those two pins as PIN 7 on the Genesis is a SELECT line that uses a multiplex.
Simply put, I needed to unsolder and lift the PIN 5 & 7 from the PCB and bend them up. Take the PIN 7 from the DB9 (ST 5V) and wire it to the PCB PIN 5 (Dongle 5V). No other hack was needed as the floating PCB PIN 7 the select line is pulled-high and sets the dongle into thinking its got a 3 button Genesis controller thus working on the ST as an Atari. Lastly added some insulating tape between the PCB and PINs that were lifted.
The dongle looks elegant plugged into the keyboard but its just a little too long to sit in the case joystick / mouse port area. Either using it without the case or filing down 2-3mm on the corner where the 8 of the 8BitDo logo is in the picture below allows it to fit.
EDIT: look at later post where the dongle was not seated properly it does fit in the mouse / joystick area neatly.
Well to test it all out I have been playing Magic Pockets most of the afternoon. :)
Well there wasn't much to it. First to power the dongle the Genesis puts VCC (+5V) out on PIN 5 where as the ST puts VCC out on PIN 7. Thus the hack had to be around those two pins as PIN 7 on the Genesis is a SELECT line that uses a multiplex.
Simply put, I needed to unsolder and lift the PIN 5 & 7 from the PCB and bend them up. Take the PIN 7 from the DB9 (ST 5V) and wire it to the PCB PIN 5 (Dongle 5V). No other hack was needed as the floating PCB PIN 7 the select line is pulled-high and sets the dongle into thinking its got a 3 button Genesis controller thus working on the ST as an Atari. Lastly added some insulating tape between the PCB and PINs that were lifted.
The dongle looks elegant plugged into the keyboard but its just a little too long to sit in the case joystick / mouse port area. Either using it without the case or filing down 2-3mm on the corner where the 8 of the 8BitDo logo is in the picture below allows it to fit.
EDIT: look at later post where the dongle was not seated properly it does fit in the mouse / joystick area neatly.
Well to test it all out I have been playing Magic Pockets most of the afternoon. :)